Brown University Psychopharmacology Update articles from October 2009

Brown University Psychopharmacology Update archives from October 2009

Genomewide study examines lithium response in patients with bipolar disorder.(Pharmacogenetics)(Report)
October 1, 2009... This genomewide association study identified several chromosomal regions that warranted further investigation into lithium response in patients with bipolar disorder. Although no single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) met criteria for genomewide...

Nortriptyline combined with ECT found effective for depression.(Concomitant Antidepressants and ECT)(electroconvulsive therapy)(Clinical report)
October 1, 2009... In a multisite, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 319 participants with a major depressive episode, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) combined with nortriptyline yielded a superior outcome than ECT combined with placebo. In addition, the...

Drug metabolism and fluoxetine: a case of trismus.(Adverse Events)
October 1, 2009... The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), including fluoxetine (Prozac), are widely used in the management of depression and other psychiatric conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder. Fluoxetine is metabolized by cytochrome...

Predictors of sexual dysfunction in citalopram-treated depressed patients.(What's New in Research)(Clinical report)
October 1, 2009... Drawing on data from a cohort derived from the STAR*D study, Roy H. Perlis, M.D., and colleagues examined genetic polymorphisms for association with erectile dysfunction, anorgasmia, and decreased libido during citalopram treatment in patients...

Venlafaxine concentrations in human breast milk and infant plasma.(What's New in Research)(Clinical report)
October 1, 2009... The use of venlafaxine (Effexor) by nursing mothers has become increasingly common in the past decade, in part due to increasing safety data for use in pregnant women. However, D. Jeffrey Newport, M.D., and colleagues write in their recent study...

Translocator protein as target for anxiolytics.(News Notes)(Brief article)
October 1, 2009... A recent study in rodents found that the XBD173 ligand of the translocator protein (18 kD) exerted acute anxiolytic effects without the tolerance development or sedation that are common in treatment with benzodiazepines. Researchers followed the...

National patterns in antidepressant medication treatment.(News Notes)(Survey)(Brief article)
October 1, 2009... In a recently published analysis of national antidepressant use, researchers compared sociodemographic and clinical patterns of antidepressant treatment between 1996 to 2005. Participants were a nationally representative cohort of survey...

Rhabdomyolysis with clozapinelithium combination.(Case Report)(Case study)
October 1, 2009... Patient: Male, 29 years old Medications: carbamazepine (Tegretol), haloperidol (Haldol), risperidone (Risperdal), olanzapine (Zyprexa), ziprasidone (Geodon), amisulpride (Solian), clozapine (Clozaril), lithium (Eskalith), valproic acid...

Safety review of ADHD medications.(From the FDA)(attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)(Brief article)
October 1, 2009... The FDA cannot conclude that the study data recently presented by Gould et al. (2009) in the American Journal of Psychiatry "affect the overall risk and benefit profile of stimulant medications used to treat attention-deficit/ hyperactivity...

New approval: lamotrigine extended-release.(From the FDA)(Brief article)
October 1, 2009... The FDA has approved lamotrigine extended-release (Lamictal XR) as a once-daily, add-on treatment for epilepsy patients 13 years of age and older with partial onset seizures. In a 19-week clinical trial, Lamictal XR significantly reduced...

New approval: Invega[R] sustenna[TM] extended release.(From the FDA)(Brief article)
October 1, 2009... On July 31st the FDA approved Invega[R] SustennaT (paliperidone palmitate) extended-release injectable suspension for the acute and maintenance treatment of schizophrenia in adults. It is the first once-monthly, long-acting, injectable atypical...

Lamotrigine (generic): Lamictal (brand).(YOUR MEDICATION INFORMATION)
October 1, 2009... CLASSIFICATION: Antiepileptic and mood stabilizer. COMMON USAGE: Lamotrigine is indicated as monotherapy in adults with partial seizures who are also receiving treatment with a single enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drug (EIAED) and for use...